Hasta La Ideas

PDT’s Jim Meehan mixed the perfect Manhattan

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We recently hosted a series of parties in five U.S. cities to bring the Subpop Showcase at SXSW to those that couldn’t make the trip to Austin. To ensure the highest level of sophistication to the bar, we enlisted our friend Jim Meehan of NYC’s famed speakeasy PDT to mix something special. As a pioneer in the mixology movement and author of The PDT Cocktail Book, Meehan fit the bill to concoct our very own signature cocktail.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, Meehan drew on his classic style and the event at hand for inspiration. With a Kentucky Rye and orange bitters, Meehan just slightly dressed up the classic Manhattan. Meehan describes it as “a Perfect Manhattan—made with both sweet and dry vermouth—that takes cues from MasterCard’s logo in the garnish: an orange disc and brandied cherry.”

Tap Into Austin Signature Cocktail

2 oz. Bulleit Rye Whiskey

1/2 oz. Vya Dry Vermouth

1/2 oz. Vya Sweet Vermouth

2 Dashes of Miracle Mile Bergamot Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled coupe

Pinch an orange twist over the surface of the drink then affix it to a cocktail pick with a brandied cherry.

Photography by Nick Brown